Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship (Freeze-Out)
Level 3: 150/300/50 Ante
We were still searching the field for big names when it was called to our attention that WSOP and WPT champ Phil Laak was all-in for just over 17,000 preflop against pro Nick Palma.
The action was complete and Laak’s 
out raced Palma’s 
on the 
board to get him back over starting stack.
Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship (Freeze-Out)
Level 3: 150/300/50 Ante
The board read 
when Xuan Liu bet 3,000 on the big blind. The hijack folded and the cutoff called. The river delivered the 
and Xuan fired out 6,000. The cutoff raised all in and Xuan tanked for a minute before folding her cards. She was down to 15,000 after the hand.
Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship (Freeze-Out)
Level 3: 200/400/50 Ante
The players are back from break and the blinds are now 200-400 with a 50 ante for the start of Level 3 at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Main Event. The field size currently stands at 834 players. Registration will remain open until the start of Level 9.
Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship (Freeze-Out)
Level 2: 100/200/25 Ante
The players are now on their first 15-minute break of the day.
Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship (Freeze-Out)
Level 2: 100/200/25 Ante
They continue to line up at the registration desk and we’re seeing more top players get in the Championship.
You can’t miss it when 8-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel walks in the room. He’s one of the tallest in the tournament until former NBAer Earl Barron gets in the game. Besides those eight WSOP titles, Seidel also has a WPT championship and over $25 million in career earnings, good enough for the third highest in poker history behind Daniel Negreanu and Antonio Esfandiari.
Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship (Freeze-Out)
Level 2: 100/200/25 Ante
With over 800 players in the Championship already, most players don’t have to deal with a stacked lineup at their table. Not true for those at Table 79 in the expanded tournament area.
We mentioned Dan Colman was back to defend his title, but his opponents have more than just the high roller to worry about. Loni Harwood took her spot in the 5-seat and riding a nice heater of her own.
The 2013 WSOP bracelet winner added another title just a few weeks ago when she captured the WSOP National Championship, one bracelet for each wrist.
If those two weren’t tough enough, occupying the 2-seat is 2009 WPT Borgata Poker Open champ Olivier Busquet and his $6.9 million in career earnings.
Good luck Table 79.
Pregame for @shrpo $5 mil guarantee $5k Main near Ft. Lauderdale…You gotta get to know the fish if u want to win pic.twitter.com/3A3mZQ6KoO
— Faraz Jaka (@FarazJaka) August 15, 2015
Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship (Freeze-Out)
Level 2: 100/200/25 Ante
We weren’t sure whether he would make it, but we found defending champion Dan Colman sitting in the expanded tournament room.
Colman won the $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop event in the summer of 2014 and rode that into last year’s Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open. He stayed hot to beat Mike Leah along with nearly 1,500 other players to capture the Championship and put another $1.4 million in his bankroll.
Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship (Freeze-Out)
Level 1: 75/150/25 Ante
There’s no shortage of successful poker players in the field with WSOP bracelet winners, WPT champs, and a few Players of the Year for various tours sitting in the ballroom.
Two players in the Championship had their time on the biggest stage in poker. Jonathan Duhamel and Joe Cada are two of the WSOP Main Event winners here today and we know a couple more are on their way.
They won their WSOP titles in back-to-back years with each taking home more than $8 million. Duhamel followed up his Main Event win with another bracelet this summer in the $111,111 One Drop High Roller while Cada picked up his second in 2014.
